


i happen to like nice men

by aMassiveDisappointment (BadOldWest)



Series: nicest men in the galaxy [1]
Category: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016), Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Original Trilogy
Genre: AKA Cassian, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Canon couples, F/M, Leia has a crush on the nicest man in the galaxy, Mild Smut, Pining, Rebelcaptainprompts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-02
Updated: 2017-04-02
Packaged: 2018-10-13 23:01:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,724
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10523739
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BadOldWest/pseuds/aMassiveDisappointment
Summary: “You look cute with a crush,” he rolled out of his perpetually-tension-filled mouth. Her breath flared out of her nose, and those big brown eyes sparked with annoyance.“You can’t let anything lie, can you?”Han is amused by Leia's crush on nicest man in the galaxy, Cassian Andor. Leia is secretly devastated by Jyn Erso as her competition. Cassian and Jyn are happy and oblivious.Rebelcaptainprompts #9 "Competition"





	

**Author's Note:**

> I would recommend “Under Your Spell” by Desire for your Teen Crush Listening Pleasure with this one. I see so many “Everyone Lives AUs” that mention Leia, but I wanted one from her POV. I also theorize that her little “I happen to like nice men” is exclusively about the nicest man in the galaxy, my boyfriend Cassian Andor. 
> 
> This is technically for the rebelcaptainprompts prompt #9 "Competition" but I'm not sure it counts because it's Leia's POV and loose interpretation.

 

Leia was tired of ceremony, tired of all these boys making messes, tired of  _ white.  _

But she did think that the Death Star’s destruction was reason enough for celebration. Luke and Han did rescue her, after all. She just hated these formal, princess things. Especially since she didn’t know what she was anymore without Alderaan. 

She waited to enter the dais, right before the brave heroes did, which she found a little annoying, because she had been just as much a part of their mission. She’d saved them more than they’d saved her, so she felt a medal could’ve been laid aside for her too. She peeked down the aisle at the crowd, all watching the beginning procession of rebel leaders. 

She felt someone behind her shoulder.

“You look nice,” Captain Andor leaned down with a soft smile as he walked past. She would never get over how incredibly kind, even seeming a little shy, Cassian Andor was to her. He was very withdrawn otherwise, or had been, until recently. After his big mission on Scarif, which more than saved the rebellion, he had his intimate crew that he spent most of his time with, not just a droid. Which did pain Leia a little bit, because she didn’t feel as special anymore when Cassian went out of his way to be kind to her. 

It still felt pretty special though. 

Han nudged the toe of his boot against the heel of her shoe. She whipped around to glare at him. 

“You look cute with a crush,” he rolled out of his perpetually-tension-filled mouth. Her breath flared out of her nose, and those big brown eyes sparked with annoyance. 

“You can’t let anything lie, can you?”

She turned to enter into the ceremony, but couldn’t stay mad at the wink he gave her after he received his medal. 

 

After the celebration, her eyes scanned the crowd, because, okay, she did have a crush. She saw Cassian with his arm curled around Erso’s elbow, her eyes bright and challenging, her chest puffed up as they both appeared to be bickering, but laughing. He glanced up at their friend Baze, who with a moment’s communication of just their eyes had enough mischief between them to scoop Erso up and carry her around the banquet hall, her howling in protest and laughter. Leia felt a pang in her chest, because she didn’t think Cassian looked at anyone very often before them. Jyn was dropped back onto her feet and launched a furious assault on Cassian’s arm, raining punches and laughter onto him. 

Leia shook her head, because crushes were silly, and there were more important things. 

She drew herself to Luke’s side, who seemed stupefied by the food provided, even by rebel standards. 

“That’s really sour,” she guided him onwards past a roll of dumpling that were from some strange vegetation found outside base, not the native vegetation on Naboo like they were supposed to be made. She helped him heap up a plate of meat, boy food, because he had more than earned a good meal. She sat next to him, both of them chatting and laughing as he made faces, good and bad, over the foods she urged him to try. 

Han came over as they were watching Erso challenge Captain Andor to an arm wrestling match from across the room. Cassian had rolled his eyes as when he accepted, but looked a little pale as they struggled against each other. 

Han whistled appreciatively. “Looks like he’s met his match.”

Leia looked down at Luke’s plate, trying to calm her breathing, but her chest felt like it had been cut open.

 

The thing about cold was that it reminded Leia of how solitary her body was. Chattering in empty space, stabilized by nothing but her skeleton. 

But that was a general hatred. It was indeed worse when there were visual reminders. 

Miserably, she watched from the mess hall on Hoth as Cassian and Erso sat next to each other at lunch, shoulders bumping competitively. Erso managed a sideswipe that almost upturned him off the bench and onto the floor, and laughed heartily as she did, reaching a hand down to help him up like a good sport. He looked at her like he was going to make her pay, and a look passed between them like they would both enjoy that. 

Han settled on the bench next to her. 

“You look miserable.”

She glared at him. He held up defensive hands. 

“What? I was asking what’s wrong.”

“I’m sure,” she growled, staring at her plate. 

“You sure look preoccupied.”

“Well, there’s a lot going on in  _ the war we happen to be fighting. _ ”

“And yet, you still have time for boy problems.”

She rolled her eyes at him. “He’s easy to look at, and I’m territorial. No feelings are getting hurt, flyboy.”

Han leaned his elbow on the table, caging her with his body language. 

“That’s not how I see it.”

“He taught me to shoot.” Leia said by means of explanation, shrugging as she finally began to eat. She hadn’t been able to touch her food before this. She was grateful for Han for a moment, talking had helped a little, and she did feel better now that she was eating. 

“If things like that don’t happen organically, they’re not going to happen at all.”

She rolled her eyes. “Thanks Han.”

“I’m just letting you know because you’re so bossy. Don’t force it.”

_ “Thanks Han,”  _ she snapped, but couldn’t help but laugh a little as she watched him walk away. 

 

Cassian Andor had taught her to shoot, because she was hopeless at it when she started. That made her worse at shooting, which made her frustrated, which made her worse, which made her ashamed because it was a luxury in the rebellion to never  _ need _ to shoot, which made her worse, until she was so bad no one on the practise range dared approach her. 

Until finally, when she was ready to give up and decide using a blaster as her weapon of choice meant  _ hurling it at her opponent’s head,  _ Cassian put a hand on her arm, patiently and quietly helped her adjust her stance, and talked her through her first shot to hit the target. 

“You have so much going on in your mind,” he diagnosed, and quite accurately at that. “Your mind should be divided into two points. The end of your blaster and the target. Connect those two places.”

She was by no means a perfect shot because of his sage advice, but she was a better soldier by his second statement; “It makes this bearable sometimes. Connect two points. It’s not a shot, or a hit, or a kill. It makes it easier to live with.”

He looked at her like he’d admitted something he didn’t mean to, and withdrew from the practise range. Weeks later, he saw her shooting, hitting the mark with much better accuracy, and he gave her a nod as he walked past. 

That was all she needed. 

 

Jyn and Cassian sat the end of a hallway, long hours after everyone had finished working for the night. Leia was just trying to go back to her room, but there they were at the end of the hall, and she had to walk towards them to get where she was going. They were sharing a portscreen, clearly working together on some code or design or map. 

They didn’t notice her at first, and he definitely didn’t notice anyone other than Jyn, who was hunched closer to the screen, dark eyes assessing, and his eyes were softer, kinder, on her profile as she worked through their collaborative plan. They worked well together in all of their teamwork, sparking many rumors about other sorts of  _ collaborations, _ but Jyn was a loner type, as was Cassian, and their shoulder touches and teasing were the closest anyone witnessed to anything risque. It was quite obvious Cassian had some idea of his reputation, and Erso’s background, so he was never this open when he looked at her. Because he didn’t think anyone saw it. 

Her footsteps grew closer to them, and when he looked up, she wanted to die, because as much as she didn’t want it to be happening, she did feel like she was ruining a moment. 

 

She didn’t know how she became the person who caught them together _ all the time, _ but she did. It was not on purpose. 

She had needed to find an extra blanket because while Han had retrieved Luke and he had been released from the medbay, he still needed to stay warm. And the minute the door slid open she saw a familiar back, Cassian’s face peering over his shoulder, looking stunned and very caught. Small hands curled around the back of his neck, and she heard moans that could be classified at Erso’s.

Indignantly, she still grabbed the blanket before she slid the door shut. 

She heard a voice that was definitely Erso’s murmur “What’s wrong?” before he mumbled in response and what was definitely thrusting pick back up from the other side of the door, her face flaming. Well. That was cleared up now. 

It happened again weeks later, when she did need to get a mission briefing clarified before scouts were sent out (was the operation scheduled on current Hoth time or the time of the region of the planet they were landing on, he’d forgotten to mark which) and that meant going to his room. Her knock on the door was answered by some grunting and a hazy “Who is it?”

“Leia,” she said, cheeks flaming, “I need clarification on the Endor briefing.”

Cassian’s door slid half-open, and he filled the narrow space. The rest of the room was dark, and while he was breathless, someone was panting on his mattress. 

“Current Endor time or current Hoth time?” she stared right into his eyes. His cheeks flushed, and they both pretended his right hand wasn’t the only thing holding his trousers up. She could get over a crush or she could do her job, or at least she wanted to focus on doing one of those well, but this was testing her. 

“Hoth,” he said, focused, and then excused himself, distracted, and the door crashed shut with the image of Jyn launching herself at him at the sound of it closing. 

_ “I feel like you planted this just to be even more of a tease,” _ she heard, even having made a swift attempt at an exit down the hall. Jyn’s voice had sounded fucked out in a way Leia couldn’t even dream of. Cassian’s reply was barely softened by the wall;  _ “Me? Never.” _

Han was with her the third time. It was less of a fumble of being at the wrong place and the wrong time and more of a strange image they observed. Troops had gathered in a stockroom to play Dejarik and it was that kind of night; a little music, and little alcohol, a little rebellion. Jyn played a very intense Dejarik game against Cassian, who took all of Jyn’s competitive smack-talk with a confident, secretive smile and managed to subtly wipe the floor with her turn after turn. Jyn was a gracious loser, making her indignation at being beaten the joke of the party, everyone enjoying watching Cassian slaughter her and her as the gladiator making sure everyone had a good time. Leia would be able to hate her if she was an irritant, but honestly, she was a speech-giver and a rabble rouser through and through, pretending she loathed it when her boys nudged her up for a crowd. 

Jyn, having lost with drama and excitement, drew Cassian’s hand to hers in a sportsmanlike handshake. It lasted longer than it should have. It lasted until she pulled him behind some of the shelves towards the back of the room. No one saw, unless they were watching, and Leia was. It was accidental, she’d just wondering where they were going and  _ oh. _ She watched Cassian grip Jyn by the messy bun at the back of her head, pulling her head back to attack her neck. His lips looked like they felt so good, and by Erso’s shiver, they must have. Leia hung back, because the princess at one of these things always got people a little riled up. She didn’t like to draw that kind of attention, she had a reputation to uphold, but rebellious Jyn had always sparked some envy in her. 

Han drew himself up to her as the party quieted, making her try and hide that she was watching the couple in the shadows. 

“Having fun?”

She smiled weakly at him. “Yeah.”

“Then why do you keep staring off into the distance- _ oh _ .” Han followed her eyeline, and Jyn had her legs around Cassian’s waist. Her arms went around his shoulders like she owned him. One of his hands braced flat on the wall next to her shoulder, the fingers curling made it clear enough that Jyn wasn’t the only one enjoying herself. 

He took a sip of his drink. “That’s what you want?”

Leia didn’t have the innocence to blush, but her wide brown eyes indicated that she was caught in some shame. She grabbed his drink and took two large gulps, nodding. 

“Well that’s not going to work with you.” 

She nearly spat the drink at him. “What do you mean?!”

“Well she’s clearly running the show, which he loves.”

To punctuate, Jyn hiked herself up higher, her face gazing down at his, and despite being pinned against a wall, she looked predatory. Her hand stroked down the sides of his face and into his hair, and he groaned, something like the goddess blessing the worshipper. One would never cast him the victor of this situation, and he seemed more than pleased with that. 

“Well, she’s felt powerless her whole life. You can see it in how she toys with the room, she’s learning what she can do. He loves that because he’s a control freak and likes to see her approach; it’s fresh eyes for your own talent. But you, you’re too in control. You need a balance to that, like he does. Someone to rough you up.”

She shot him a look, a horribly prissy one even she knew was obnoxious, and he held up a hand. “That was a little tasteless. Forgive me, your worship.”

“Rough me up, huh?” She mused, with a slight smile. She glanced back at the couple in the dark. She could see herself liking being Jyn. But she’d be so stunned to have Cassian in her bed, she’d be softer, she’d probably be pliant, he was the one who taught her to shoot after all, and she hadn’t taught him a thing. She didn’t think there was anything she needed to teach him. 

Han smirked back at her. 

“Careful, or it’ll sound like a suggestion coming out of that mouth of yours.”

She remembered their previous argument;  _ you could use a good kiss.  _ She let herself smile at him. 

He could learn some manners, she mused, drawing back to the better lit part of the room, seating herself to observe the next round of Dejarik. 

 

“I happen to like nice men,” she protested, some time later, as his lips hovered over hers. 

She had liked nice men. Cassian had guided her forward through a lot of her training, to be more like a soldier and not a princess, but that was it, he was leading. She knew him well enough now to know he would never find that prospect particularly sexy. Jyn challenged him. Jyn was competitive with him. She bickered and wrestled and wanted to see him lose sometimes, instead of wanting to always watch him win. Like Leia, the teenager with a crush, had wanted. 

Han, however, wasn’t trying to make her into something equal to him. They’d locked horns on equal footing since day one.

 “Nice men?” he asked, because that was what he was learning for her. 

The realization made her sick, but at that point, Han had seen her trembling, despite her denial, and his tense mouth was, for once, soft against hers. 

_ Jyn probably did deserve Cassian, _ she conceded gracefully,  _ I’ll let her have that one.  _

  
  



End file.
